Experimental research by the Office for National Statistics said that net immigration to the UK in the year to June 2020 was 247,000.
The ONS estimated that 622,000 people immigrated to the UK in the year to mid-2020, while 375,000 emigrated, while the overall population grew by 284,000 to 67.1 million (see ONS bulletin).
The figure of 247,000 was produced using a completely different methodology than previous figures which were based upon the International Passenger Survey that was suspended in March 2020 and has only been partially re-started.
The new figures are based upon administrative data as well as on statistical modelling by experts.
However, if we compare the migration figure for the year to June 2020 with that of the previous year, the later figure was 41,000 higher (despite the halt to global travel that occurred during the Covid lockdown in Spring 2020).
It should also be noted that this experimental ONS estimate for the year to June 2020 is 35,000 lower than the ONS’s previous estimate for the same period of 282,300, which was released in April 2021. https://www.ons.gov.uk/file?uri=/peoplepopulationandcommunity/populationandmigration/internationalmigration/adhocs/13384quarterlylongterminternationalmigrationestimatesjuly2019tojune2020uk/quarterlylongterminternationalmigrationestimatesjuly2019tojune2020.xls
See source of ONS table depicting new experimental migration estimates below:
